Sites of Conservation Significance

The Arizona Important Bird Areas program looks at many areas and considers them for IBA status. While many of the areas we look at are formally proposed to our Science Committee and approved, some sites just don’t meet all the requirements and are not formally proposed. This is usually due to the small size or ephemeral nature of these sites. However, many of these sites are still very significant habitat for native birds and we would like to still recognize the contribution these areas make.

What we have decided to do is create a separate status that the Arizona IBA program can award for such areas; Sites of Conservation Significance.

Maricopa Burrowing Owl Haven

This is private land in Maricopa surrounded by Agriculture land. Doug Loney, the owner had put a good deal of effort into establishing this area as wildlife habitat with lush vegetation. As a result he gets lots of birds on his property including Burrowing Owls.

Here is an eBird Checklist from a Tucson Audubon field trip to this property, we saw 10 different Burrowing Owls!

Birders are invited to visit Doug’s property and see Burrowing Owls but it is asked that you call first, his number is (520) 233-7564.

Directions to Doug’s Land:

I-10 to the I-8, go west. Make a right on Stanfield Road (after Mile marker 162) go 2 -3 miles. The first stop sign is Highway 84, make a left. Go to 347 (Also called N John Wayne Rd) and make a right. After about ¾ mile there should be tanks on the NE corner and TWO roads marked Carefree with a dirt strip between them. You want the one on the LEFT. Then go about ½ mile and his house is on the left surrounded by lots of trees.